Events

Plenty of important events on this day in history!

1970 - Curt Flood files his lawsuit challenging the reserve clause, setting in motion a chain of events that eventually lead to the creation modern free agency system.

1974 - Mickey Mantle is only the 7^th player inducted into the Hall of Fame on his first attempt

1996 – MLB approves Interleague play for the 1997 season

2003 – This Time It Counts: The owners unanimously approve the All-Star Game deciding home field advantage for the World Series

Deaths

1965 – Jimmy Williams, who’s most similar player by age, according to Baseball Reference, is Pablo Sandoval.  They must mean statistically, because Williams checked in at about 175 lbs

1977 – Baby Doll Jacobson – ballplayers had fantastic nicknames 100 years ago

Births

1870 – Hall of Famer Jimmy Collins, who was voted in to the HOF in 1945 by the Old Timers Committee

1910 – Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean, who won the 1934 NL MVP award and was the runner up the following two seasons

1979 – The infamous Jack Cust, half of whose plate appearances end with him never making contact with the ball

1980 – Future Hall of Famer and three time NL MVP (and counting) Albert Pujols